Singapore’s nuclear nightmare

Singapore’s dream of switching to nuclear power came to a rude ending with the Fukushima disaster. It is unimaginable if Singapore operates a nuclear plant and a mishap of a similar nature occurred. There is no where to hide and no where to run. It would be Singapore close shop for another 20 years. This stark reality has put the idea of a nuclear plant on hold for good until a fail safe system is available and there is no need to run away.

This, unfortunately is not going to be the end of Singapore’s flirtation with nuclear power. The nightmare would still be there. Indonesia and Malaysia are very keen in nuclear power and are exploring on the feasibility of having their own nuclear power stations. What if the Malaysians decided to have one and decided to have it located next to the Johore Straits, a mere 1 km from Singapore’s shore or less than 15km from the heart of Singapore city? A mishap with a 100km evacuation zone would mean Singapore has to close down as well.

This risk, if it actually comes to passé, is more deadly than having our very own nuclear plant. With our own plants we can be sure we will do everything we can to keep it safe. Now we know it is a near impossibility. What about the Malaysians having a plant next door and trying their best to keep it safe?  The thought of a Malaysian or Indonesian nuclear plant near by is going to drive Singaporeans bonkers.

Would Singaporeans have to live with such a nightmare waiting to happen? Please pray hard that both the neighbours would think like us, that it is near impossible to keep the lid tight on a nuclear plant and hoping nothing will happen. If the Malaysians or Indonesians think they are confident to make sure it would not happen, and go about building one next door, it would not be amusing.

Singapore may have to go begging them not to do so, NIMBY! Or would Singapore say you jump I jump? You build one I also build one?  This Titanic logic would not work. Where can we build but just inside this piece of rock?

Singapore walking on tight rope as MAS probes Najib

It was reported that the MAS had queried 40 financial institutions in Singapore on the flow of funds involving 1MDB. Such an action coming out at the time is politically very sensitive given the intimate and good relations between Najib and Hsien Loong.  The cordial relations between the two PM could be described as the best between the two states and it is very dicey to have this relationship rattled by such an investigation.

The big question is how the relationship between the two PM and the two states be affected as a result of this happening. Would Najib’s feather be so ruffled that the goodwill turns sour and leading to obstacles surfacing again?

As a financial hub and the complex relations with the western financial system and govts, Singapore is in a very tricky situation, like balls caught in a vice, to do or not to do. Where is the pressure coming from for Singapore to take such a high profile investigation? One can understand why Switzerland too could not pretend to be neutral and apolitical in this 1MDB story. Switzerland too must be under tremendous pressure to open up an investigation and undermined its safe haven for rogue funds image. Nothing else is safe in Switzerland henceforth and rogues wanting to park their wealth in that little European financial hub would have to think very hard after this episode.

Singapore has a better image in being a better managed and transparent system in the model of New York and London.  Conducting such an investigation when all the worms are crawling all over the place is inevitable. Tough luck for Najib for offending the Empire.  Now he would have to pay a heavy price when the Emperor issued his edict and no countries would dare to defy the order if they want to remain as the good boys of the Emperor, at least not countries that are receiving blessings from the Emperor.

Najib would now have to fight his own solitary battle or go begging the Emperor for mercy. In what way had Najib offended the Emperor for the latter to go after his blood and his Premiership?

How long would Singapore and Malaysia’s honeymoon last? Would it survive this 1MDB crisis?

One probable solution for Najib to get all the investigation against him off his back is to acquire a few American warships and submarines. Then he can appoint his Defence Minister as the Commander of his Pacific Ocean Fleet and push China out of the South China Sea. This would please the Emperor and all his 1MDB problem will disappear in mid air. He may be rewarded with another round of golf with Obama. But he needs to do this fast as the new President Trump would not be so friendly and it would be too late.

Stock Exchanges – Has Singapore become the laughing stock?

We were the best, used to challenge Hongkong and Tokyo to be the Number One exchange in Asia. Today, the only thing we can crow about is being the best managed stock exchange, a lot of very good rules to protect investors from investing and losing their pants, and a very expensive super computer that can match the speed of super computers of High Frequency Traders.

Other than the above, we are now slipping down the ladder.  In an article today in the Today paper, it has this headline, ‘Thailand topples Spore as SE Asia’s king of IPOs’. If this is not bad enough, we have even fallen behind Malaysia and Jakarta. We only had 13 IPOs listed in the SGX with only one in the main board and the 12 in the Catalist board.  The funds raised in SGX are less than 10% of Thailand, one third of Malaysia’s and half of Indonesia’s.

What is happening? No one wants to list in the best managed stock market in Asia with leading edge super speed computers, computer trading and non stop trading?  Oh, the regional bourses are promoting themselves and encouraging their local companies to list at home. Great reasoning, we should also do that. The only principle that business people swear in is to make money. If the local bourses are shitty, would their companies list in them to get shit?

If SGX is where they can make money, that alone will be the reason for companies to flock here. No need any funny promotion.  What is happening to the SGX? Retail investors fleeing the market, companies refusing to list and there is a new beginning when companies are starting to delist from the exchange. And the broking houses are as quiet as the cemetery and remisiers and dealers are calling it a day with increasing numbers. Nothing to worry about, it is the new norm.

Is there anything wrong with the stock market? Why is the stock market called a moribund market? Why is the best stock market in Asia, or wanting to be the best stock market in Asia, falling into such a deplorable state? No, it is a wrong perception. The market is in the pink of health. Everything is fine. They are encouraging the remisiers to go for more training to be the best remisiers to service the clients, and maybe help the clients to make more money. There are even specialists in the business, not just ordinary remisiers.

Not to worry, everything is fine, just fine. The SGX is the best stock market in Asia. It would be nice if there is a Times Ranking system like how they ranked the universities and SGX would definitely rank at the top.

How to run down a stock market to ground zero? Impossible! We have the money to buy the best talents from the whole world to manage the stock market. We are paying very good money. We will overcome and be the best we can be.  The best is yet to come. The stock market is in good hands.

Changi Resort beckons for the pioneer generation

The new Changi Prison was built on a sprawling piece of land, landed property, with the latest security system and gadgets, costing, if I can recalled, $1b or $2b! It is a really expensive piece of property but could turn out to be a welcome retirement home for the pioneer generation in time to come. No where in Singapore is there a free charity home providing free meals, free medical, a bed to sleep on and 100% security from terrorist attacks or being robbed or walloped by the rich and talented foreigners on the streets of Singapore. This is the safest fortress for the feeble senior citizens to retire.

There is a new trend developing in Japan, where the senior citizens took on petty crimes as a way of life, to get invited to stay in prison for free food, medical and lodging. The high cost of living in Japan is forcing the seniors there to think out of the box to live and to get by.  The state pension of $9,400 per year for the retirees is just not enough to live on. The next viable and workable alternative is to get into prison for free food and lodging, and the answer to that is petty crime like shoplifting.

Singapore is now the most expensive city in the world. How can anyone expect the retirees without an income to get by? The Silver Support Scheme of $750 per quarter would just be too little to survive. And what about the super expensive medical bills in spite of the Medishield Life Scheme?

Would our pioneer generation survivors follow the trend set by the retirees in Japan? Our Changi Resort is the latest state of the art abode and is perfectly suited for the oldies, free food, free medical, good security and a warm bed to lie on. Maybe this is the foresight of the govt, to plan ahead for the pioneer generation oldies if they fall through the net.

The spacious Changi resort is beckoning to them.  Just be a little creative, and with a little effort, the pioneer generation could be invited to spend their golden years in the comfort and safety of this billion dollar complex, well fed, looked after and secure for life, protected from the elements and the beasts in the streets.

The Japanese have started it and setting the trend. We have the Korean wave for the millennial. This Japanese Wave will be very suitable for the seniors. Would it become the next craze in Sin City? A pop culture for the oldies, a revolution by the seniors.

Eugene Tan – How should we honour our pioneers properly

SMU’s law professor Eugene Tan had an article in the Today paper on 29 Mar on the above topic. Here is the gist of what he said and I quote,
‘Let us ensure that the legacy of our pioneers lives on, not only to inspire us but to also provide us with new pathways to critically understand and interpret our nations, our challenges and our evolving destiny. This self knowledge is our collective intelligence that provides valuable guidance as we navigate uncharted waters.  Our nation’s life story is about our greats and pioneers, who steadfastly believed in our right to be a sovereign nation state, and who … build this little red dot to what it is today.  It is to our collective peril if this life giving belief is not nurtured and sustained.’
This is the crux of our story, the reason why our pioneers built this island into a nation state. The big question, build this nation state for who? This life giving belief is about a home, a country for Singaporeans, the descendants of our pioneers, to live a good life.  And if we foolishly dismiss this life giving belief, not nurtured and sustained it, it is to our own peril.
Anyone understand what Eugene Tan said? Our pioneers built this island for us Singaporeans, not for foreigners to come here and inherit everything they built for us. The foreigners here today did not build a single thing, not a single shit. Everything was built by our pioneers.
Are we not betraying our pioneers to give this island away to foreigners and not to Singaporeans, the children of our pioneers? Who says this island shall go to the most talented foreigners and their children?
In the minds of our pioneers, it is all about us, about their children, the future of their children. The foreigners were not in their mind, not in the equation. It was us, Singaporeans first and last.
Any silly twit wants to tell the Singaporeans they should move out and leave and let the foreigners take over their homes and their country, built by the pioneers, their forefathers? Should we bundled the pioneer generation and throw them out in the sea, rewrite our history starting today, Singapore is built by the foreign talents in the 21st Century?
How should we honour our pioneers properly?  Still didn’t get the answer? It is to make sure the children of the pioneers inherit this island and enjoy the fruits of their labour. This island is what our pioneers willed to us, our inheritance, not to be given away freely to foreigners.  The pioneers will be turning in their graves if their children could not inherit the legacy they built and left behind for them.

PS. Many Singaporeans, the daft and the new Singaporeans, are telling the true blue Singaporeans to give away this island if they are stupid and cannot make it here, cannot compete with the foreigners with their fake degrees and talents. Heard of 败家子?